Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02353262 2001-07-19
TITLE: Method and Apparatus for Mounting Door Display
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for
mounting a door display.
The marketing of doors to the do-it-yourself home
improver, or to contractors and professional carpenters,
requires a door display device which can make the door
readily accessible for inspection by the customer. Such door
display devices must be capable of quick and simple
construction at the point of sale, and must be capable of
displaying the door in a functional condition so that the
customer can operate the door and see how the door appears in
an installation. The display device must be constructed in
such a manner that it permits the display of numerous doors
by utilizing a minimum of floor space at the point of sale.
U.S. Patent 5,503,278 shows such a door display device.
However, a suitable bracket system must be provided so as to
permit the display to be mounted directly to the vertical
members of pallet racks commonly utilized i:n home improvement
stores. The bracket system must be sufficiently flexible to
permit adjustment of the height of the brackets to
accommodate the vertical members of the pallet assembly.
Also, it is desirable to be able to mount two doors to a pair
of brackets at the same time maintaining a strong rigid
connection to the vertical pallet member so as to adequately
support the weight of the door displays.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is
the provision of an improved method and apparatus for
mounting a door display.
A further object of the present invention is the
provision of an improved apparatus for mounting a door
display which permits the door display to be quickly and
easily assembled and disassembled at the point of sale.
1
CA 02353262 2001-07-19
A further object of the present invention is the
provision of an improved method and apparatus for mounting a
door display which permits a plurality of doors to be
displayed in side to side relation while at the same time
occupying a minimum of floor space.
A further object of the present invention is the
provision of an improved method and apparatus for mounting a
door display which provides rigid strong attachment to the
vertical member of a pallet rack commonly used in home
improvement stores.
A further object of the present invention is the
provision of an improved method and apparatus for mounting
door displays which is flexible in accomodating various
heights of the holes which appear in the vertical members of
the pallet racks.
A further object of the present invention is the
provision of an improved door display device which is
economical to manufacture, durable in use, and efficient in
operation.
The foregoing objects may be achieved by a door display
adapted to be mounted to a vertical support member. The
display includes a display frame comprising a pair of spaced
apart side display frame members, a top display frame member,
and a bottom display frame member forming a display opening.
A door assembly is detachably mounted within the display
opening, and a door is provided within the door frame. A
door hinge pivotally mounts the door to the door frame for
swinging movement about a door axis.
Upper and lower mounting brackets are provided and each
comprise a first plate and a U-shaped plate. The first plate
has a front face and a rear face and the U-shaped plate has a
pair of spaced apart legs joined by a central web. The
central web is attached to the rear face of the first plate.
The spaced apart legs are shaped to embrace the opposite side
faces of the vertical support member.
Upper and lower hinge members are attached to the front
face of the first plate of the upper and lower mounting
2
CA 02353262 2001-07-19
brackets respectively. The upper and lower hinge members
pivotally connect the display frame to the upper and lower
mounting brackets respectively for permitting the display
frame to swing about a display axis with respect to the upper
and lower mounting brackets.
The method of the present invention comprises taking an
upper and a lower bracket, each of which comprise a first
plate having a front plate face and a rear plate face and a
U-shaped plate having a pair of legs joined by a web member.
The web member is attached to the rear face of the first
plate. The spaced apart legs are fitted around the vertical
support member so as to embrace the vertical support member
therebetween. They are then attached to the vertical support
member so as to place the upper and lower brackets in spaced
vertical relation to one another. Upper and lower hinge
members are then attached to the front plate faces of the
upper and lower brackets respectively. A door display frame
is connected to the upper and lower hinge members for pivotal
movement about a door display axis. A door frame is mounted
within the door display frame and the door frame includes a
door mounted therein for swinging movement about a door axis.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a pallet pack
having two upper door displays and two lower door displays
mounted thereon.
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in
Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the present
invention, showing the display frame with a door mounted
therein.
Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the display
frame and the door.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the pallet rack
showing the mounting brackets in exploded view.
Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of
Figure 3.
3
CA 02353262 2001-07-19
Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but showing a
single wing form of the mounting bracket.
Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along 8-8 of Figure
3.
Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of
Figure 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figure 1, four door displays are shown and
are designated by the numeral 10. Door displays 10 are
mounted to a pallet pack 12 comprising a plurality of
vertical members 14 and horizontal members 16 and rearwardly
extending horizontal members 17 (Figure 5). The vertical
members 4 include a plurality of spaced holes 18 on each of
their opposite side faces as well as on its front face.
Shelves are often supported on the rearwardly extending
members 17 so as to provide storage areas for inventory in
the home improvement store where these pallets racks are
used.
Each of the'door displays 10 include top display frame
member 20, and opposite side display frame members 22, 24.
Each of the side display frame members in cross section
includes a first tube 26 (Figure 8) and a second tube 28
which are separated by a pair of oppositely inwardly
extending spaced apart webs or walls 29, 31. A plurality of
stand off ridges 30 extend inwardly into the first and second
tubes 26, 28. Each extrusion includes a rear face 32, an
outer face 34, an inner face 36, and a front face 37 which is
preferably extruded into the shape of a conventional brick
molding. Rear face 32 includes a vertical longitudinal screw
slot 38 which is generally C-shaped in cross section. A
similar C-shaped screw slot 40 is provided on the outer
surface 34. The interior surface at the rear edge thereof
includes U-shaped slot 42 which is fitted a rectangular panel
44. Panel 44 can be used to display point of sale printed
matter for marketing the door in the display.
4
CA 02353262 2001-07-19
The two side members 22, 24 are joined at their upper
ends with the top frame member 20 in a miter joint and are
held in place by L-shaped brackets (not shown) which fit
within the first tube 26 and which are secured in place by
means of screws (not shown).
Lower ends of side frame members 22, 24 are joined
together by a U-shaped bottom frame 52 which is comprised of
a pair of upstanding legs 54, 56 joined by a horizontal bar
58. The U-shaped frame member 52 may be formed by welding,
bending, or by bolting the legs 54, 56 and horizontal bar 58
together. Other means for securing the components of the U-
shaped frame together may be used without detracting from the
invention. The lower ends of up standing legs 54 and 56 are
tubular or hollow so as to provide a pivot hole 66 (Figures 8
and 9) for receiving a pivot pin 78. A threshold plate 68
includes notches 70 at its ends, and these notches 70 are
sized to fit around the upstanding legs 54, 56 of U-shaped
bottom frame 52. Up standing legs 54, 56 are force fitted
into the second tube 28 of side frame members 22, 24 in the
manner shown in Figure 8 and are forced upwardly until the
bar 58 presses the threshold plate 68 against the lower ends
of side frame members 22, 24 in the manner shown in Figure 3.
If desired, screws may be used to secure the up standing legs
54, 56 within the side frame membres 22, 24.
A bottom hinge bracket 72 includes a vertical leg 74 and
a horizontal leg 76 (Figure 3). Extending upwardly from
horizontal leg 76 is hinge pin 78 having a bearing washer 80
connected thereto. The hinge pin 78 is fitted upwardly
within the pivot hole 66 provided by the tubular construction
of side frame member 54 in the manner shown in Figures 8 and
9.
A top hinge member 82 (Figure 3) includes a vertical leg
84 and a horizontal leg 86. Extending downwardly from
horizontal leg 86 is a hinge pin 88 which extends through an
upper hinge pin hole 92 in a reinforcing plate 90 (Figure 4).
A hinge pin hole (not shown) is provided in the upper frame
CA 02353262 2001-07-19
member 20 and is registered with hole 92 in the reinforcing
plate 90 for receiving the hinge pin 88.
Referring to Figures 5, 6 and 7, the mounting system
includes an upper single wing bracket 130, a lower single
wing bracket 132, an upper double wing bracket 134 and a
lower double wing bracket 136. The double wing brackets 134,
136 each comprise a double wing plate 138 and a U-shaped
plate 140. The U-shaped plate includes spaced apart legs
142, 144 which are joined by a web 146. Legs 142, 144 and
web 146 may be integrally formed or may be formed from three
parts which are connected together by welding, bolting or
other wise. The web 146 is attached to the rear surface of
the double wing plate 38 by a weld 148, or by bolting or
other securing means. The legs 142, 144 are provided with
holes which will accommodate bolts 152 so as to permit the U-
shaped plate 140 to be connected to the up standing vertical
members 14 of the pallet rack frame. This is shown in
Figures 6 and 7. Because the vertical members 14 include a
plurality of spaced apart holes it is possible to position
the brackets 130, 132, 134, 136 in a desired spaced apart
relationship so as to permit the floor displays to be
mounted. Upper and lower double wing brackets 134, 136
include mounting holes 150 in the double wing plate 138 so as
to permit the L-shaped top hinge members 82 to be bolted in
place as shown in Figures 5-7. Similarly the L-shaped bottom
hinge members 72 may be bolted to the double wing plate 138
of floor double wing bracket 136. Each of the double wing
plates 138 include a first wing 154 and a second wing 156
(Figure 6). While the double wing plate 138 is shown to be
planar, the bracket may be curved or otherwise configured to
accommodate the various door displays in the desired manner.
In order to mount the display frames 10 vertically to
the pallet rack, it is necessary to be able to move the
brackets 134, 136 to the desired position on the vertical
frame 14 so as to properly space the L-shaped hinge members
72, 82 for mounting to the door display. Horizontal members
16 of the pallet frame do not permit the U-shaped plates 40
6
CA 02353262 2001-07-19
to be moved to the proper position for mounting the display
frames 10, and therefore the use of the L-shaped hinge
members 72, 82 permits proper adjustment of the spacing
between the upper and lower ends of the display frames 10.
Referring to Figure 7 a single wing plate 130 is shown.
In this configuration the U-shaped member 140 is positioned
adjacent one side edge of the single wing plate 158 so as to
create a single wing 160 protruding beyond the U-shaped
bracket. As can be seen in Figure 5 this configuration is
useful for mounting a display frame to the end vertical frame
member 14 of a pallet rack system.
The method of the present invention comprises attaching
the upper and lower single wing brackets 130, 132 or the
upper and lower double wing brackets 134, 136 to the vertical
side bracket 114 by fitting the spaced apart legs 142, 144
around vertical support member 14 in the manner shown in
Figures 6 and 7, embracing the vertical support member
therebetween. The spaced apart legs are then attached to the
vertical support member 14 with the upper and lower brackets
130, 132 or 134, 136 being in vertical spaced relation to one
another. Then the upper and lower hinge members 72, 74 are
mounted to the brackets and a door display frame 10 is
connected between the upper and lower hinge members 72, 74.
This permits door display frame 10 to pivot about a door
display axis. A door frame is mounted within the door
display frame and a door is mounted within the door frame for
swinging movement about a door axis.
In the drawings and specification there has been set
forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although
specific terms are employed, these are used in a generic and
descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
Changes in the form and the proportion of parts as well as in
the substitution of equivalents are contemplated as
circumstances may suggest or render expedient without
departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as
further defined in the following claims.
7
